Previous winners include high profile Russian campaigner Ildar Dadin who was freed from jail whilst nominated, anonymous Chinese digital activists GreatFire who have since secured significant additional funding, and musician and campaigner Smockey who was supported to rebuild his studio in Burkina Faso after it was burnt down in a suspected arson attack

The Awards Fellowship seeks to support activists at all levels and spans the world with other past winners including Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat, Pakistani education campaigner Malala Yousafzai, Saudi investigative journalist Safa Al Ahmad and South African LGBTI photographer Zanele Muholi.

Index invites the general public, civil society organisations, non-profit groups and media organisations to nominate anyone (individuals or organisations) who they believe should be celebrated and supported in their work tackling censorship worldwide.

Campaigning for activists and campaigners who have had a marked impact in fighting censorship and promoting freedom of expression.

Digital Activism for innovative uses of technology to circumvent censorship and enable free and independent exchange of information.

Journalism for courageous, high impact and determined journalism (any form) that exposes censorship and threats to free expression.

As awards fellows , all winners receive a year of direct support including advanced-level capacity building, mentoring and 24hr emergency assistance. The 12 months commence with a week-long residential in London (April 2018). We seek, over the course of the year, to significantly enhance the impact and sustainability of awards fellows’ work.

Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of Index, said: “The Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship not only showcases -- but also strengthens -- groups and individuals doing brave and brilliant work to enhance freedom of expression around the world. Awards fellows often have to overcome immense obstacles and face great danger just for the right to express themselves. This is our chance to celebrate them.”

“Use your voice by nominating a free expression champion - make sure their voice is heard.”

The 2018 awards shortlist will be announced in late January. The fellows will be selected by a high profile panel of judges and announced in London at a gala ceremony in April 2018.

About the Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship

Winners of the 2018 Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship receive 12 months of capacity building, coaching and emergency assistance. Through the fellowships, Index seeks to maximise the impact and sustainability of voices at the forefront of pushing back censorship worldwide. More information

About Index on Censorship

Index on Censorship is a London-based non-profit organisation that publishes work by censored writers and artists and campaigns against censorship worldwide. Since its founding in 1972, Index on Censorship has published some of the greatest names in literature in its award-winning quarterly magazine, including Samuel Beckett, Nadine Gordimer, Mario Vargas Llosa, Arthur Miller and Kurt Vonnegut. It also has published some of the world’s best campaigning writers from Vaclav Havel to Elif Shafik.